It is curious that two such disparate fields of design should be taking place at the same time. The draughtsman on the left is drawing out an Italianate Trace for a fortress, while the man on the right is apparently designing wall paper. Did they draw the designs of forts on the backs of old wall paper, or did EIC military engineers go down to the local wall paper artists studio for help with getting their technical drawings traced?

Interesting observations!...especially if these paintings do indeed reflect the details of the daily life of the past. But...why wall-paper?...and why should he be 'drawing out an Italianate Trace for a fortress'? It really doesn't make sense.

It might not be wall paper on the right, although it looks like it to me. It could just as easily be a textile design. The left hand image is a series of bastions. They are technically a little out of date by 1785, but it is clearly three bastions and there associated ditches and glacis. Maybe this was the 18th century equivalent of the photocopying bureau? You took your drawings along and they worked them up into good quality images, and perhaps made copies while they did so. Fascinating anyhow.

An 18th century Photocopying bureau!!...now that's fascinating!..and it also makes sense.